Computer room air flow method and apparatus

ABSTRACT

A computer room reduced air flow method and apparatus is provided which utilizes an increased delta T to reduce the required air quantity required from an air conditioning system, thus resulting in a reduced air flow capability. Specifically, the present invention utilizes an approximately 40° delta T to reduce the CFM requirements by substantially 50% so as to correspondingly reduce the required power for the fan by approximately 50% so as to result in substantial energy savings. The present invention serves to communicate cooling air from a cooling apparatus into an air passageway, guiding the cooling air within the air passageway into the equipment assembly and introducing the air released from the equipment into either a plenum for communicating such released air to the cooling apparatus or introducing the air released from the equipment into the room in which the equipment and/or cooling apparatus are located.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication Serial No. 60/226,887, filed Aug. 23, 2000 and is acontinuation-in-part application of U.S. application Ser. No.09/784,238, filed Feb. 16, 2001 (which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application Serial No. 60/183,328, filed Feb. 18, 2000) andU.S. application Ser. No. 09/842,167 filed Apr. 26, 2001 (which claimsthe benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/202,934, filedMay 9, 2000), the disclosure of each of which is herein incorporated byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a computer room reduced air flow methodand apparatus but is not limited to use in computer rooms and insteadcan be utilized with respect to any equipment assembly requiring coolingwhich is positioned in a room. The method and apparatus described belowpermits achieving energy savings while reducing the amount of airrequired to cool electronic/heat generating equipment, wherein acomputer rack heat extraction device (CRHED) or similar device isutilized. The method and apparatus permits the collection of heatgenerating, for example, by the rack electronic equipment.

2. Discussion of the Background

A conventional computer room method and assembly is illustrated in FIG.3 which exemplifies the approach for cooling electronic equipmentcommonly used currently wherein an array of racks of equipment arepositioned on a raised floor. FIG. 3 illustrates an air-conditioningsystem used in the method and apparatus of a conventional system whereina room space 1 defined by a room floor 2, side walls 3 and a ceiling 4having a plurality of ceiling panels 4 a is provided. The room floor 2is positioned a predetermined distance above a base floor 5 such thatthe room floor 2 and the base floor 5 in combination form a double floorstructure having a free space 6 (i.e., an air passageway) formedtherein. A rack 7 for one or more computer processing units (CPUs) isdisposed on the floor 2 wherein electronic cables for the rack arecapable of being housed in the free space 6 of the double floorstructure but can be specifically communicated to the rack separate fromthe free air space, if desired.

In installing each of the CPUs or other equipment on the rack of thefloor, a plurality of support members 2 b can be provided which arestationary by being fixed by bolts or similar fastening elements topredetermined positions on the floor 2.

The rack 7 is positioned in a casing 8 having air inlets 8 a and airoutlets 8 b formed respectively in a bottom plate of a casing 8 and inthe ceiling portion of the casing 8. A computer case fan 9 is operableduring operation of the equipment 7 so as to assist the air flowupwardly from the casing through the air outlets 8 b. As shown in FIG.3, the CPU members are arranged in an air passageway formed within thecasing 8. The floor 2 includes a plurality of floor panels located onsupport members or pedestals 2 b, one panel 2 a of which includes aplurality of perforations to allow air flow as indicated by the arrowsto flow through the front of the outside housing to casing 8, throughthe CPU rack 7 and out the back of casing 8. A cooling unit 14 ispositionable either inside or outside the room 1 and is communicatedwith a heat exchanger or other air conditioning equipment so as topermit a cooling coil 15 located within unit 14 to cool air blowingthere through. The cooling unit 14 also includes a fan 16 which ispositionable below cooling coil 15. An inlet 20 is provided to allow airfrom the room to flow thereinto from the room, the air in the casing 8mixing with room air prior to being introduced into the cooling unit 14,as illustrated in FIG. 3. The fan 16 is therefore arranged between theair inlet 20 and an air outlet 22 located at the lower portion of unit14 and feeds air into the free space 6 located above the base floor. Thefan 16 thus permits air in the interior of the room to be sucked intothe air inlet 20 of the casing 8 and also permits the air in the room topass through cooling coil 15. The air in the room is typically at atemperature of 75° F.±.

The above-noted approach for cooling electronic equipment thus permitsthe area in the free space 6 below the raised floor 2 to be used forcable management and also serves as a supply air plenum. The computerroom air conditioning units (CRACUs) utilize cooling coil 15 to cool theair. The CRACUs supply conditioned air at approximately 55° F. to theunderfloor supply air plenum or free space 6. The floor tiles withperforations or slots to allow air to flow from under the raised floorto above the floor are positionable below or are located adjacent to therack 7. Other perforated tiles are positionable throughout the room toprovide air supply to other heat generating equipment and to maintainthe room at an ambient environment.

As illustrated by the arrows in FIG. 3 showing the air flow, theconditioned air is then drawn into the rack 7 by either convection byair flow from perforated panels 2 a and/or opening 8 a to the casing 8or by fans 9 located in the top of the racks. The air enters the racksat a temperature of approximately 55° F., is heated by the CPUs or otherelectronic equipment, and flows upwardly out of the rack atapproximately a temperature of 95° F. The warm air leaves the rack andmixes with the conditioned ambient environment of the room 1 which is ata temperature of approximately 75° F., and thus returns to the CRACUs ata temperature of approximately 75° F. as illustrated in FIG. 3.

Before the foregoing, it can be understood that a conventional CRACUshave a 20° delta T (±4° F.) across the cooling coil 15. This is alsocoincident with the space delta T which is defined as being thedifference in temperature between the air supplied to the space and theair returned from such space. The temperature of the air returned fromthe space is usually coincident with the ambient space temperature suchthat the return air at 75° F. enters the return on top of the CRACUs,passes along the cooling coil 15 and is discharged at a temperature ofsubstantially 55° F. at the bottom of unit 14 so as to pass into thefree space 6. The required air quantity to cool such space is a directfunction of the space delta T. The equation set forth below is used tocalculate the required air flow or cubic feet per minute (CFM) of air tocool a space:

CFM=BTUH/1.08×delta T

From the foregoing, it can be appreciated that the disadvantage of theconventional system set forth above requires a significant amount of fanhorsepower for operation and thus the need has arisen for reducing theamount of horsepower necessary to operate the fan 16.

Devices of the type described above are exemplified, for example, byU.S. Pat. Nos. 5,718,628; 4,774,631 and 5,910,045, the disclosure ofeach of which is herein incorporated by reference, as is the disclosureof parent application Ser. No. 09/784,238, the priority of which hasbeen claimed in the present application.

The original concept by the inventors of the present application isexemplified by FIG. 4 of the present application. Such figure shows anair conditioning system used in a method and apparatus as described insuch application. As shown therein, the room space is defined by roomfloor 2, sidewalls 3 and an upper ceiling 4 wherein a lower ceiling 4 ais formed, for example, of ceiling tiles defining, a ceiling plenum 4 b,and a base floor 5. The room floor 2 is formed a predetermined distancefrom the base floor such that the room floor 2 and the base floor 5collectively form a double floor structure having a free space 6 or airpassageway formed therein within which electric cables may also behoused. As shown in FIG. 4, air flow from space 6 can enter one sideportion of each of the CPU racks and flow across the same towards aplenum 8 c which can run the full length of the equipment assembly so asto permit air to flow across each CPU in the rack and then flow upwardlytowards a plurality of ducts 24. The ducts 24 are sealed with respect tothe equipment assembly by, for example, rubber gaskets wherein similarrubber gaskets 26 are provided between the duct 24 and the lower ceiling4 a. Also provided are computer case fans 24 b and 24 c, if desired, toassist in air flow through the ducts 24.

FIG. 1 shows an air conditioning system use in the method and apparatusaccording to an additional earlier concept also developed by theinventors. As shown therein, the structure corresponding to thatdescribed above with regard to FIG. 3 utilizes the same referencenumbers. In this regard, it is noted that the embodiment shown in FIG. 2utilizes an attachment either on the back or top of the computer rack(or cabinet) to collect the warm air from the equipment in the rack. Theapparatus as shown in FIG. 1, to the contrary, uses space availablewithin the back and top of the rack for the same purpose wherein the useof the existing space allows for both space and cost efficiencies. Theapparatus shown therein utilizes a cavity type front door 8 consistingof a solid outer panel 8 f and a perforated plate inner panel 8 b.Cooling air from below the raised floor 2 is directed first into an airplenum in the bottom of the rack. From the plenum, the cooling air isdirected into the air space or cavity 8 d and the door that extends theentire front of the rack 7. The air cavity channels the cool air anddistributes the cool air more evenly across the front of the equipmentin the rack 7. Therefore, this improvement in the distribution of airallows for more even cooling of the equipment.

The design shown in FIG. 1 also incorporates an air space or cavity 8 ebetween the perforated plate 8 b and the front 7 a of the equipment 7.This air space 8 e allows for some re-circulated air to pass from theback 7 b of the rack (i.e., the warm side) to the front 7 a of the rack7 (the cold side). Some recirculation may be required since the internalfans (not shown) in the equipment in the rack 7 may be moving more airthan is supplied to the rack from the under-floor system describedabove. The above-noted design allows for either a single fan or aplurality of fans 25 at the top of the rack to exhaust the heat. The fanor fans 25 may be a single speed, variable speed or adjustable speedtype of fan, depending upon the specific need for the device. FIG. 2illustrates the manner in which perforated panel and the solid panels 8a and 8 c at the front and back of the cabinet are pivotable so as to beopened for repair and/or replacement of the equipment in the rack 7. Theflow arrow shown in FIG. 5 serves to illustrate the manner in which airflow occurs, including exiting of air into the ceiling plenum 4 b.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatuswhich utilizes an increased delta T to reduce the required air quantity,thus resulting in a reduced airflow method and apparatus. Specifically,the present invention utilizes an approximately 40° F. delta T to reducethe CFM by substantially 50%. The substantially 50% reduction in theairflow will serve to effectively correspondingly reduce the requiredpower by substantially 50%, resulting in substantial energy savings. Akey element of the method and apparatus is an increase in delta T abovewhat is conventionally used. The present invention is capable ofoperating in a range of delta T from 25° F. to 45° F. In this regard, itis noted that the use of a 40° F. in the description set forth below issolely exemplary in illustrating the device and greater or lessertemperature variations are possible.

An object of at least one embodiment of the present invention is toprovide an air conditioning method and apparatus which utilizes thesteps of supplying cooling air generated from a cooling apparatus intoan air passageway formed below a floor; guiding the cooling air withinthe air passageway into an equipment assembly disposed on the floorthrough an opening located in the floor; communicating the cooling airintroduced into the equipment assembly into a plenum and introducing theair released from within the equipment into the plenum for communicatingsuch released air to the cooling apparatus. The method may also includethe step of guiding the air from the equipment assembly through at leastone duct into the plenum and may include the step of cooling the coolingair generated from the cooling apparatus to a temperature ofsubstantially 55° F. while also heating the air released from theequipment assembly to a temperature of substantially 95° F. prior tointroducing such air to the cooling apparatus so as to form a closedloop in terms of cycling of the air through the cooling assembly and theequipment assembly.

A further object of the present invention is to obtain a temperaturedifferential between the air supplied to the air passageway or plenumfrom the cooling apparatus and the air introduced into the plenum fromthe equipment assembly so as to be substantially 40° F., thus permittinglower power requirements of the fan utilized to assist flow of the airin the closed loop.

A further object of the present invention is to position the fan betweenthe cooling apparatus and the air passageway so as to permit blowing ofthe air into the passageway towards the equipment assembly, although itis understood that the fan can be located anywhere within the closedloop so as to assist flow of air between the blowing apparatus and theequipment assembly.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a method andapparatus wherein the cooling assembly is located either within oroutside the computer room, the equipment assembly comprising either atleast one computer processing unit or other type of processing unit incombination with an additional heat generating equipment or without suchequipment. In addition, a further object, of the present invention is tocool equipment assembly generating heat which does or does not includecomputer equipment.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide an airconditioning assembly for performing the method described above.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a CPU rackhousing with a cavity type front door having a substantially solid outerpanel and a perforated plate inner panel so that cooling air from belowthe raised floor is directed first into an air plenum in the bottom ofthe rack. From the plenum, the cooling air can be directed into an airspace or cavity in the door that extends the entire front of the racksuch that the air cavity channels cool air and distributes the cool airmore evenly across the front of the equipment in the rack and thusallows for more even cooling of the equipment.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improveddesign which incorporates an air space or cavity between the perforatedplate and the front of the equipment so that the air space allows forsome re-circulated air to pass from the back of the rack (the warm side)to the front of the rack (the cold side).

An additional object of the present invention is to permit either asingle fan or a plurality of fans to be positioned at the top of therack so as to exhaust the heat wherein the fan or fans have a singlespeed, variable speed or adjustable speed capability, depending upon thespecific need for the device.

Another feature of the device is the ability to cool more heatgenerating electronic equipment in a cabinet than can be cooled with theconventional system. The conventional system as shown in FIG. 3 has beenshown to experience overheating of equipment at conditions above 4 KW ofname plated heat rejection of electronic equipment per cabinet. Acabinet equipped with the CRHED and associated improvements willeffectively cool up to 8 KW of name plated heat rejection of electronicequipment. The ability to cool more equipment in a single cabinet resultin more revenue per unit area of a building.

Yet an additional feature of the present invention is to provide aheating and cooling method in accordance with the above-noted objectswherein cooling air is fed to the heat generating electronic equipmentin the cabinet by means of a cooling duct in the ceiling which permitsair to be fed to the equipment at a temperature of substantially 55° F.which is thermally isolated from the remaining volume of the ceilingplenum itself which permits return of air via a duct from the heatingequipment at a temperature of substantially 95° and which is returned tothe heating and air conditioning system described above. This permitsthe cooling air to be fed to the equipment via the ceiling rather thanvia than the plenum provided beneath the floor and above the base floor.

It is yet an additional object of the present invention to provide amethod and apparatus described in the foregoing paragraph but whereinthe air upon being heated is returned via one or more fans from theelectronic equipment and the heat is released into the room for returnto the heating and air conditioning assembly. This embodiment permitsthe cooled air plenum provided in the ceiling duct to communicate cooledair at a temperature of substantially 55° F. into the equipment via aduct which permits heated air from the heat generating electronicequipment to exit from the cabinet of the equipment into the ceiling forreturn to the heating and air conditioning system for being cooled to atemperature of substantially 55° by the cooling unit 14 so as tocomplete the cycle of flow of air to and from the heat generatingelectronic equipment in the cabinet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various features, objects and attendant advantages of the preferredembodiments are illustrated in the figures of the present applicationwhich serve to explain the principles of the invention, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates an air conditioning method and apparatus used in anembodiment of the present invention previously developed by theinventors.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the structure shown in FIG. 1, which illustratesthe capability of the panels to be pivotable on the cabinet.

FIG. 3 illustrates a conventional air conditioning method and apparatus;and

FIG. 4 illustrates a concept of the inventors designed for an airconditioning method and apparatus which was developed subsequent to theinitial embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 illustrates an air conditioning method and apparatus according tothe present invention;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the structure shown in FIG. 5, which illustratesthe capability of the panels to be pivotable on the cabinet.

FIG. 7 illustrates a second embodiment of the air conditioning methodand apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a top view of the structure shown in FIG. 7, which illustratesthe capability of the panels to be pivotable on the cabinet.

FIG. 9 illustrates a third embodiment of the air conditioning method andapparatus used in the present invention; and

FIG. 10 is a top view of the structure shown in FIG. 9, whichillustrates the capability of the panels to be pivotable on the cabinet.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate the first embodiment in accordance with thepresent invention wherein structure similar to that shown in FIGS. 1-4is illustrated using the same reference number but in a 100 series.FIGS. 5 and 6 serve to illustrate the air-conditioning system used inthe method and apparatus of the present invention wherein a room space101 is defined by a floor 102, side walls 103 and a ceiling 104 having aplurality of ceiling panels 104 a. The room floor 102 is positioned apredetermined distance above the base floor 105 such that the room floor102 and base floor 105 in combination form a double floor structurehaving a free space 106 (i.e. air passageway) formed therein. A rack 107for one or more computer processing units (CPUs) is disposed in a casing108 located on the floor 102 wherein electronic cables for the rack arecapable of being housed in the free space 106 of the double floorstructure but can be specifically communicated through the rack 107separate from the free air space, if desired.

In installing each of the CPUs or other equipment on the rack on thefloor, a plurality of support members can be provided which arestationary by being fixed by bolts or similar fastening elements to thepredetermined positions on the floor 102.

The rack 107 is positioned in the casing 108 has the casing is providedwith air inlets 108 a and air outlets 108 h. A computer case fan 125 isoperable during operation of the rack 107 so as to assist the flowupwardly from the casing through the air outlets 108 h. A cooling unitsimilar to that of cooling unit 14 illustrated in FIG. 4 is positionableeither inside or outside the room 101 and is communicated with a heatexchange or other air conditioning equipment as previously described soas to permit the cooling coil 15 located within the unit 14 to cool airblowing therethrough. The cooling unit 14 also includes a fan 16 whichis positionable below cooling coil 15 as shown in FIG. 4. Also shown inFIGS. 5 and 6 is the casing 108, inlet 108 a in the form of an openingin the bottom part of the equipment for permitting air at substantially55° to flow into the equipment, a perforated plate inner panel 108 b, arear wall 108 c of the casing 108, and an air space or cavity 108 dlocated between panel 108 b and the outer wall of the casing 108 androom space 101. In addition, a single fan or plurality of fans 125 isprovided at opening 108 h.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 allows for heat rejected from therack to be ventilated directly into the space of the computer room andallows the rack to be used in existing computer rooms. This improvementas well as the improvement shown in FIGS. 7-9 provide an improvement tothe original design conceived by the present inventors and permitsventing the heat directly into the room and supplying the air into thetop or bottom portion of the computer room. Alternatively, as shown inFIGS. 7-8, the air can be returned to a ceiling plenum 104 b to completethe air conditioning cycle.

The second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8wherein an additional duct 104 c is provided for directly communicatingcooled air at a temperature of substantially 55° to an additional duct108 g that directly leads into an opening 108 a formed in the upperportion of the casing 108 as illustrated in FIG. 7. This permits air toflow downwardly and then pass through the perforated screen or plate 108b where the air is recycled back to the entrance portion 107 a of theCPU rack and then subsequently be let out the outlet portion 107 bthereof and to flow upwardly through opening 108 h via the use of one ormore fans 125 and then to flow into duct 124 for communication of suchheated air at a temperature of substantially 95° F. back into plenum 104b for return of the cooling unit 14 illustrated in FIG. 4 of the presentinvention. As can be appreciated from a review of FIGS. 7 and 8, suchdiffers from previous embodiments in that casing 108 can be positionedon the base floor 105 since no cooling air need flow through the bottomportion thereof. However, as can be contemplated by one of ordinaryskill in the art, it would be possible to provide a similar plenum tothat of 104 c and to place it within a free space 106 as shown in FIG. 5so as to supplement the heating and cooling accomplished in the mannershown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

The third embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 of the present inventionincludes a duct 104 c similar to that of FIGS. 7 and 8 but wherein duct125 is removed and that, instead, a fan or plurality of fans 125 permitthe heated air to be returned directly into the computer room 101wherein the air exiting from the casing 108 exits with a CFM based upona 40° F. ΔT load in cabinet 108.

Additional advantages and modifications readily occur to those skilledin the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is notlimited to the specific details discussed above, and the illustratedexamples shown and described therein may be formed of structurallyequivalent elements. Accordingly, various modifications may be madewithout departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventiveconcept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. An air conditioning method, comprising the stepsof: supplying cooling air generated from a cooling apparatus into an airpassageway; guiding the cooling air within the air passageway into anequipment assembly positionable on a floor of a room through an openinglocated in the equipment assembly; communicating the cooling air fromthe equipment assembly into a plenum separated from the room;positioning an air flow control member in the equipment assembly so asto substantially evenly distribute cooling air to the equipment locatedin the equipment assembly; and communicating the air released from saidequipment into said plenum and back to the cooling apparatus for beingcommunicated through the cooling apparatus for cooling the released air.2. A method as claimed in claim 1, which comprises guiding the airreleased from the equipment assembly through at least one duct into saidplenum.
 3. The method according to claim 2, which comprises at least onefan for communicating the cooling air into said plenum.
 4. The method asclaimed in claim 1, which comprises cooling the cooling air generatedfrom the cooling apparatus to a temperature of substantially 55° F. 5.The method according to claim 4, which comprises heating the airreleased from the equipment assembly to a temperature of substantially95° F. prior to communicating such air to the cooling apparatus.
 6. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein a temperature differential betweenthe air supplied to the air passageway from the cooling apparatus andthe air released from the equipment assembly is substantially 40° F. 7.The method according to claim 1, which comprises positioning a fanbetween the cooling apparatus and the equipment assembly and blowing theair into the equipment assembly by said fan.
 8. The method according toclaim 1, which comprises positioning at least one of the coolingapparatus and the equipment assembly in a computer room.
 9. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the room comprises a computer room andwherein the cooling assembly is located outside the computer room. 10.The method according to claim 1, wherein said equipment assemblycomprises at least one computer processing unit.
 11. An air conditioningassembly, which comprises: a cooling apparatus in communication with anair passageway for introducing cooling air into the passageway; anequipment assembly positionable on a floor of a room, the equipmenthaving an opening in communication with said air passageway forreceiving the cooling air from the cooling apparatus; a flow controlmember positioned upstream of said equipment assembly so as tosubstantially evenly distribute the cooling air to the equipmentassembly; and communication means separated from the room and being incommunication with the equipment assembly for receiving air flowing fromthe equipment assembly which has been heated by the equipment assembly,said communication means communicating the air heated by the equipmentassembly back to the cooling apparatus for being cooled.
 12. An airconditioning assembly as claimed in claim 11, which comprises at leastone duct interconnecting the equipment assembly to the communicationmeans for communicating air heated by the cooling equipment to thecooling assembly.
 13. The air conditioning assembly as claimed in claim11, which comprises at least one fan for communicating the heated air tothe plenum.
 14. An air conditioning assembly as claimed in claim 11,wherein the cooling apparatus cools the cooling air to a temperature ofsubstantially 55° F.
 15. The air conditioning assembly as claimed inclaim 11, wherein the equipment apparatus heats the air blowing into theplenum to a temperature of substantially 95° F.
 16. The air conditioningassembly according to claim 11, wherein a temperature differentialbetween the air supplied to the equipment apparatus and the airintroduced into the communication means from the equipment assembly issubstantially 40° F.
 17. The method as claimed in claim 1, whichcomprises positioning the equipment assembly in a cabinet andpositioning the flow control member in said cabinet upstream of saidequipment so as to control air flow to said equipment.
 18. The coolingapparatus as claimed in claim 11, which comprises a cabinet within whichthe equipment assembly is located and wherein the control member ispositioned so as to be spaced from a wall of the cabinet so as to form aspace within which the cooling air is communicated prior to beingreceived by the equipment assembly.
 19. An air conditioning assembly asclaimed in claim 11, wherein the equipment assembly comprises at leastone computer processing unit.
 20. The apparatus according to claim 11,wherein said communication means comprises one of a plenum, a duct and aroom.
 21. The cooling method claimed in claim 1, wherein thecommunication of air from the equipment comprises communicating the airinto one of a plenum, a duct and a room.
 22. The cooling methodaccording to claim 1, which comprises positioning said air passageway inproximity with the floor of a room.
 23. The cooling method claimed inclaim 1, wherein the step of supply cooling air comprises supplyingcooling air into a passageway formed below a floor on which theequipment assembly is positioned.
 24. The cooling apparatus according toclaim 11, wherein said air passageway is positioned in proximity withthe floor.
 25. The cooling apparatus according to claim 11, wherein saidair passageway is positioned with a plenum formed between the floor anda base floor.
 26. An air conditioning assembly, which comprises: coolingmeans in communication with an air passageway for introducing coolingair into said air passageway; an equipment assembly positionable on afloor of a room, the equipment having an opening in communication withsaid air passageway for receiving the cooling air from the coolingmeans; a flow control member positionable upstream of said equipmentassembly so as to substantially evenly distribute the cooling air to theequipment assembly; and communication means in communication with theequipment assembly and separated from the room for receiving air flowingfrom the equipment assembly which has been heated by the equipmentassembly, said communication means communicating the air heated by theequipment assembly back to the cooling apparatus for being cooled. 27.An air conditioning assembly as claimed in claim 26, which comprises atleast one duct means interconnecting the equipment assembly to thecommunication means for communicating air heated by the coolingequipment to the cooling assembly.
 28. The air conditioning assemblyaccording to claim 26, which comprises at least one fan forcommunicating the heated air to the plenum.
 29. An air conditioningassembly as claimed in claim 26, wherein the cooling apparatus cools thecooling air to a temperature of substantially 55° F.
 30. The airconditioning assembly as claimed in claim 26, wherein the equipmentapparatus heats the air blowing into the plenum to a temperature ofsubstantially 95° F.
 31. The air conditioning assembly according toclaim 26, wherein a temperature differential between the air supplied tothe equipment apparatus and the air introduced into the communicationmeans from the equipment assembly is substantially 40° F.
 32. The methodas claimed in claim 1, which comprises positioning the equipmentassembly in cabinet means and positioning the flow control member insaid cabinet means upstream of said equipment so as to control air flowto said equipment.
 33. The cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 26,which comprises cabinet means within which the equipment assembly islocated and wherein the control member is positionable so as to bespaced from a wall of the cabinet so as to form a space within which thecooling air is communicated prior to being received by the equipmentassembly.
 34. An air conditioning assembly as claimed in claim 11,wherein the equipment assembly comprises at least one computerprocessing means.
 35. The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein saidcommunication means comprises one of a plenum, a duct and a room. 36.The cooling method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of coolingair comprises supplying cooling air into passageway means formed below afloor on which the equipment assembly is positioned.
 37. An airconditioning method, comprising the steps of: supplying cooling airgenerated from a cooling apparatus into an air passageway; guiding thecooling air within the air passageway into an equipment assemblypositionable on a floor of a room via a supply duct; positioning an airflow control member in the equipment assembly so as to substantiallyevenly distribute cooling air to the equipment located in the equipmentassembly; and introducing the air released from said equipment assemblyinto a plenum separated from the room and communicating the released airthrough the cooling apparatus via said plenum for cooling the releasedair.
 38. The method as claimed in claim 35, which comprises positioningat least one of said supply duct and plenum above a ceiling portion of aroom and guiding the air released from said equipment assembly throughsaid at least one duct into the plenum.
 39. The method according toclaim 38, which comprises positioning each of said supply duct andplenum above said ceiling for communicating the cooling air into saidplenum by operation of at least one fan.
 40. The method as claimed inclaim 37, which comprises positioning said air passageway in proximitywith a ceiling portion of a room and cooling the cooling air generatedfrom the cooling apparatus to a temperature of substantially 55° F. 41.The method according to claim 40, which comprises heating the airreleased from the equipment assembly to a temperature of substantially95° F. prior to communicating the air to a cooling apparatus.
 42. Themethod according to claim 37, wherein a temperature differential betweenthe air supply to the air passageway from the cooling apparatus and theair released into the first plenum from the equipment assembly issubstantially 40° F.
 43. The method according to claim 37, whichcomprises positioning the fan between the cooling apparatus and the airpassageway and blowing the air into the passageway towards the equipmentassembly by said fan.
 44. The method according to claim 37, whichcomprises positioning at least one of the equipment assembly and thecooling apparatus in a computer room.
 45. The method according to claim37, wherein the room comprises a computer room and wherein the coolingassembly is located outside the computer room.
 46. The method accordingto claim 37, wherein said equipment assembly comprises at least onecomputer processing unit.
 47. An air conditioning assembly for a room,which comprises: a cooling apparatus in communication with an airpassageway for introducing cooling air into the passageway; an equipmentassembly positionable on a floor of the room, the equipment having anopening in communication with the air passageway for receiving thecooling air from the cooling apparatus; a flow control member positionedupstream of said equipment so as to substantially evenly distribute thecooling air to the equipment assembly; and a plenum separated from theroom and in communication with the equipment assembly for receiving airflowing from the equipment assembly which has been heated by theequipment assembly, said first plenum communicating the air heated bythe equipment assembly back to the cooling apparatus for being cooled.48. An air conditioning assembly as claimed in claim 47, which comprisesat least one duct interconnecting the equipment assembly to the plenumfor communicating air heated by the cooling equipment into the plenumfor being returned to the cooling assembly.
 49. The air conditioningassembly as claimed in claim 47, first comprises at least one fan forcommunicating the heated air to the plenum.
 50. An air conditioningassembly as claimed in claim 47, which comprises a supply duct forcommunicating cooling air from the cooling apparatus to the equipmentassembly wherein the cooling apparatus cools the cooling air to thetemperature of substantially 55° F.
 51. The air conditioning assembly asclaimed in claim 47, wherein the equipment apparatus heats the airblowing into the plenum to a temperature of substantially 95° F.
 52. Theair conditioning assembly according to claim 47, wherein a temperaturedifferential between the air supply to the air passageway and the airintroduced into the plenum from the equipment assembly is substantially40° F.
 53. A method as claimed in claim 37, which comprises positioningthe equipment assembly in a cabinet and positioning the flow controlmember in said cabinet upstream of said equipment so as to control airflow to said equipment.
 54. A cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 47,which comprises a cabinet within which the equipment assembly is locatedand wherein the control member is positioned so as to be spaced from awall of the cabinet so as to form a space within which the cooling airis communicated prior to being received by the equipment assembly. 55.An air conditioning assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein theequipment assembly comprises at least one computer processing unit. 56.An air conditioning assembly as claimed in claim 50, wherein at leastone of said supply duct and plenum is located above a ceiling portion ofa room.
 57. An air conditioning assembly as claimed in claim 56, whereineach of said supply duct and plenum are located above the ceilingportion of the room.
 58. An air conditioning assembly, which comprises:cooling means in communication with the near passageway for introducingcooling air into the passageway; an equipment assembly positioned on afloor of a room, the equipment having an opening in communication withthe air passageway for receiving the cooling air from the coolingapparatus; flow control means positioned upstream of said equipmentassembly so as to substantially evenly distribute the cooling air to theequipment assembly; and plenum means separated from the room and incommunication with equipment assembly for receiving air flowing from theequipment assembly which has been heated by the equipment assembly, saidplenum means communicating the air heated by the equipment assembly backto the cooling apparatus for being cooled.
 59. An air conditioningassembly as claimed in claim 58, which comprises at least one ductinterconnecting the equipment assembly to the plenum means forcommunicating air heated by the cooling equipment into the plenum meansfor return to the cooling assembly.
 60. The air conditioning assembly asclaimed in claim 58, which comprises at least one fan for communicatingthe heated air to the plenum.
 61. The air conditioning assembly asclaimed in claim 58, which comprises a supply duct for communicatingcooling air from the cooling apparatus to the equipment assembly whereinthe cooling apparatus cools the cooling air to a temperature ofsubstantially 55° F.
 62. The air conditioning assembly as claimed inclaim 58, wherein the equipment apparatus heats the air blowing into theplenum to a temperature of substantially 95° F.
 63. The air conditioningassembly according to claim 58, wherein a temperature differentialbetween air supply to the air passageway and the air introduced into theplenum from the equipment assembly is substantially 40° F.
 64. Themethod as claimed in claim 37, which comprises positioning the equipmentassembly in cabinet means and positioning the flow control member insaid cabinet means upstream of said equipment so as to control air flowto said equipment.
 65. The cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 58,which comprises cabinet means within which the equipment assembly islocated wherein the control member is positioned so as to be spaced fromthe wall of the cabinet means so as to form a space within which thecooling air is communicated prior to being received by the equipmentassembly.
 66. An air conditioning assembly as claimed in claim 58,wherein the equipment assembly comprises at least one computerprocessing means.
 67. An air conditioning assembly as claimed in claim58, where at least one of said supply duct and plenum means is locatedabove a ceiling portion of a room.
 68. An air conditioning assembly asclaimed in claim 67, wherein each of said supply duct and plenum meansare located above the ceiling portion of the room.
 69. An airconditioning method, comprising the steps of: supplying cooling airgenerated from a cooling apparatus into an air passageway; guiding thecooling air within the air passageway and into an equipment assemblypositionable on a floor of a room through an opening therein via aplenum; positioning an air flow control member in the equipment assemblyso as to substantially evenly distribute cooling air to the equipmentlocated in the equipment assembly; and separating the air released fromsaid equipment from air within the room in which the equipment assemblyis positionable and communicating the released air through the coolingapparatus for cooling the released air.
 70. A method as claimed in claim69, which comprises guiding the air released from the equipment assemblyinto the room via an opening formed in the equipment assembly.
 71. Themethod according to claim 70, which comprises communicating the coolingair into the equipment assembly by operation of at least one fan. 72.The method as claimed in claim 69, which comprises cooling the coolingair generated from the cooling apparatus to a temperature ofsubstantially 55° F.
 73. The method according to claim 72, whichcomprises heating the air released from the equipment assembly to atemperature of substantially 95° F. prior to communicating such air tothe cooling apparatus.
 74. The method according to claim 69, wherein atemperature differential between the air supplied to the air passagewayfrom the cooling apparatus and the air released into the plenum from theequipment assembly is substantially 40° F.
 75. The method according toclaim 69, which comprises positioning a fan between the coolingapparatus and the equipment assembly and blowing the air into the airpassageway towards the equipment assembly by said fan.
 76. The methodaccording to claim 69, wherein the room comprises a computer room andwherein the at least one of the cooling apparatus and equipment assemblyare positioned in the computer room.
 77. The method according to claim69, wherein the room comprises a computer room, wherein the coolingassembly is located outside the computer room.
 78. The method accordingto claim 69, wherein said equipment assembly comprises at least onecomputer processing unit.
 79. An air conditioning assembly, whichcomprises: a cooling apparatus in communication with an air passagewayfor introducing cooling air into the passageway; an equipment assemblypositionable on a floor of a room, the equipment having an openingformed therein in communication with the air passageway for receivingthe cooling air from the cooling apparatus; a flow control memberpositioned upstream of said equipment assembly so as to substantiallyevenly distribute the cooling air to the equipment assembly; and anoutlet member formed in the equipment assembly for receiving air flowingfrom the equipment assembly which has been heated by the equipmentassembly and separating the air heated by the equipment assembly fromair located in the room, said outlet member communicating the air heatedby the equipment assembly back to the cooling apparatus for beingcooled.
 80. An air conditioning assembly as claimed in claim 79, thepassageway including a plenum and which comprises at least one ductinterconnecting the equipment assembly to the plenum for communicatingcooling air thereto from the cooling assembly.
 81. The air conditioningassembly as claimed in claim 79, which comprises at least one fan forcommunicating the heated air to the plenum.
 82. An air conditioningassembly as claimed in claim 79, wherein the cooling apparatus cools thecooling air to a temperature of substantially 55° F.
 83. The airconditioning assembly as claimed in claim 79, wherein the equipmentapparatus heats the air blowing into the plenum to a temperature ofsubstantially 95° F.
 84. The air conditioning assembly according toclaim 79, wherein a temperature differential between the air supply tothe air passageway and the air introduced into the plenum from theequipment assembly is substantially 40° F.
 85. The method as claimed inclaim 69, which comprises positioning the equipment assembly in acabinet and positioning the flow control member in said cabinet upstreamof said equipment so as to control air flow to said equipment.
 86. Thecooling apparatus as claimed in claim 79, which comprises a cabinetwithin which the equipment assembly is located and wherein the controlmember is positioned so as to be spaced from a wall of the cabinet so asto form a space within which the cooling air is communicated prior tobeing received by the equipment assembly.
 87. An air conditioningassembly as claimed in claim 79, wherein the equipment assemblycomprises at least one computer processing unit.
 88. An air conditioningassembly as claimed in claim 79, wherein said plenum is positioned witha ceiling portion of a room within which the equipment is positioned.89. An air conditioning assembly, which comprises: cooling means incommunication with an air passageway for introducing cooling air intothe passageway; an equipment assembly positionable on a floor of a room,the equipment having an opening in communication with the air passagewayfor receiving the cooling from the cooling means; flow control meanspositioned upstream of said equipment assembly so as to substantiallyevenly distribute the cooling air to the equipment assembly; and outletmeans provided in the equipment assembly for receiving air flowing fromthe equipment assembly which has been heated by the equipment assemblyand separating the air heated by the equipment assembly from air withinthe room, said outlet means communicating the air heated by theequipment assembly back to the cooling apparatus for being cooled. 90.An air conditioning assembly as claimed in claim 89, the passagewayincluding plenum means and which comprises at least one ductinterconnecting the equipment assembly to the plenum means forcommunicating cooling air from the cooling assembly.
 91. The airconditioning assembly as claimed in claim 79, which comprises at leastone fan means for communicating the heating air from the outlet meanswherein the cooling apparatus cools the cooling air to a temperature ofsubstantially 55° F.
 92. The air conditioning assembly as claimed inclaim 89, wherein the equipment apparatus heats the air blowing from theoutlet means to a temperature of substantially 95° F.
 93. The airconditioning assembly according to claim 89, wherein a temperaturedifferential between the air supply to the air passageway and the aircommunicated from the outlet means from the equipment assembly issubstantially 40° F.
 94. A method as claimed in claim 89, whichcomprises positioning the equipment assembly in cabinet means andpositioning the flow control means and said cabinet means upstream ofsaid equipment so as to control air flow to said equipment.
 95. Thecooling apparatus as claimed in claim 89, which comprises cabinet meanswithin which the equipment assembly is located and wherein the flowcontrol means is positioned so as to be spaced from a wall of thecabinet means so as to form a space within which the cooling air iscommunicated prior to being received by the equipment assembly.
 96. Anair conditioning assembly as claimed in claim 89, wherein the equipmentassembly comprises at least one computer processing unit.
 97. An airconditioning assembly as claimed in claim 79, wherein said outlet meansis in communication with a ceiling portion of a room within which theequipment assembly is positioned.
 98. An air conditioning method,comprising the steps of: supplying cooling air generated from a coolingapparatus into an air passageway; guiding the cooling air within the airpassageway and into an equipment assembly, positionable on a floor of aroom, via a plenum; communicating the cooling air introduced into theequipment assembly into said plenum; and introducing the air releasedinto the plenum from within said equipment into the plenum andcommunicating the released air while separating the released air fromair within the room, to one of a position for being communicated backthrough the cooling apparatus for cooling the released air and beingcommunicated to a position remote from the room.
 99. The method asclaimed in claim 98, which comprises guiding the air released from theequipment assembly through at least one opening in the equipmentassembly.
 100. The method according to claim 99, which comprisescommunicating the cooling air into said plenum by operation of at leastone fan.
 101. The method as claimed in claim 98, which comprises coolingthe cooling air generated from the cooling apparatus to a temperature ofsubstantially 55° F.
 102. The method according to claim 101, whichcomprises heating the air released from the equipment assembly to atemperature of substantially 95° F. prior to communicating the air tothe cooling apparatus.
 103. The method according to claim 98, wherein atemperature differential between the air supply to the air passagewayfrom the cooling apparatus and the air released from the equipmentassembly is substantially 40° F.
 104. The method according to claim 98,which comprises positioning a fan between the cooling apparatus and theair passageway and blowing the air into the passageway toward theequipment assembly by said fan.
 105. The method according to claim 98,wherein the room comprises a computer room and wherein at least one ofthe cooling apparatus and the equipment assembly are positioned in thecomputer room.
 106. The method according to claim 98, wherein the roomcomprises a computer room and wherein the cooling assembly is locatedoutside the computer room.
 107. A method according to claim 98, whereinsaid equipment assembly comprises at least one computer processing unit.108. A method according to claim 98, which comprises positioning an airflow control member in the equipment assembly so as to substantiallyevenly distribute cooling air to the equipment located in the equipmentassembly.
 109. An air conditioning assembly, which comprises: a coolingapparatus in communication with an air passageway of the room forintroducing cooling air into the passageway; an equipment assemblypositioned on a floor of a room, the equipment having an opening incommunication with the air passageway for receiving the cooling air fromthe cooling apparatus; a duct separated from the room and which is incommunication with the air passageway for receiving air blowing from theequipment assembly which has been heated by the equipment assembly, saidduct communicating the air heated by the equipment assembly to one of aposition at which the cooling apparatus is located and a position remotefrom the room.
 110. An air conditioning assembly as claimed in claim109, which comprises at least one duct opening positioned in theequipment assembly for communicating air heated by the equipmentassembly into a room in which the cooling apparatus is located.
 111. Theair conditioning assembly as claimed in claim 109, which comprises atleast one fan for communicating the heated air to the plenum.
 112. Theair conditioning assembly as claimed in claim 109, wherein the coolingapparatus cools the cooling air to a temperature of substantially 55° F.113. The air conditioning assembly as claimed in claim 109, wherein theequipment apparatus heats the air flowing into the plenum to atemperature of substantially 95° F.
 114. The air conditioning assemblyaccording to claim 109, wherein a temperature differential between theair supplied to the air passageway and the air from the equipmentassembly is substantially 40° F.
 115. The method as claimed in claim 98,which comprises positioning the equipment assembly in a cabinet andpositioning the flow control member in said cabinet upstream of saidequipment so as to control air flow to said equipment.
 116. The coolingapparatus as claimed in claim 98, which comprises a cabinet within whichthe equipment assembly is located and wherein a flow control member ispositioned so as to be spaced from a wall of the cabinet so as to form aspace within which the cooling air is communicated prior to beingreceived by the equipment assembly.
 117. An air conditioning assembly asclaimed in claim 98, wherein the equipment assembly comprises at leastone computer processing unit.
 118. An air conditioning assembly asclaimed in claim 109, which comprises a flow control member positionedupstream of said equipment assembly so as to substantially evenlydistribute the cooling air to the equipment assembly.
 119. An airconditioning assembly, which comprises: cooling means in communicationwith an air passageway of a room for introducing cooling air into thepassageway; an equipment assembly positioned on a floor of the room, theequipment having an opening in communication with an opening formed inthe floor for receiving the cooling air from the cooling apparatus; ductmeans separated from the room and in communication with the airpassageway for receiving air flowing from the equipment assembly whichhas been heated by the equipment assembly and for communicating the airheated by the equipment assembly into the cooling means.
 120. Anconditioning assembly as claimed in claim 119, which comprises at leastone opening in the equipment assembly communicating air heated by thecooling equipment into a room in which the cooling apparatus is located.121. The air conditioning assembly as claimed in claim 119, whichcomprises at least one fan for communicating the heated air with a duct.122. An air conditioning assembly as claimed in claim 119, wherein thecooling apparatus cools the cooling air to a temperature ofsubstantially 55° F.
 123. The air conditioning assembly as claimed inclaim 119, wherein the equipment apparatus heats the air blowing intothe duct to a temperature of substantially 95° F.
 124. The airconditioning assembly according to claim 98, wherein a temperaturedifferential between the air supplied to the air passageway and the airfrom the equipment assembly is substantially 40° F.
 125. The method asclaimed in claim 98, which comprises positioning the equipment assemblyin a cabinet and positioning a flow control member in said cabinetupstream of said equipment so as to control air flow to said equipment.126. The cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 98, which comprises acabinet means within which the equipment assembly is located and whereina flow control means is positioned so as to be spaced from a wall of thecabinet so as to form a space within which the cooling air iscommunicated prior to being received by the equipment assembly.
 127. Anair conditioning assembly as claimed in claim 119, wherein the equipmentassembly comprises at least one computer processing unit.
 128. An airconditioning assembly as claimed in claim 119, which comprises flowcontrol means positioned upstream of said equipment assembly so as tosubstantially evenly distribute the cooling air to the equipmentassembly.